TikTok Kicks Off Agentic Commerce Push With AI Shopping Assistant
PYMNTS | ·
TikTok has introduced an in-app checkout solution and an artificial intelligence (AI) shopping assistant, saying in a Monday (Oct. 5) press release that these are the first of several agentic commerce experiences the company is adding to its platform. The in-app checkout solution, Buy Direct, allows users to buy from a brand without leaving TikTok, according to the release. […] The post TikTok Kicks Off Agentic Commerce Push With AI Shopping Assistant appeared first on PYMNTS.com .
TikTok has introduced an in-app checkout solution and an artificial intelligence (AI) shopping assistant, saying in a Monday (Oct. 5) press release that these are the first of several agentic commerce experiences the company is adding to its platform.
The in-app checkout solution, Buy Direct, allows users to buy from a brand without leaving TikTok, according to the release.
“The solution simplifies the purchase journey, allowing users to make purchases directly from the For You feed with just one click,” TikTok said in the release.
The conversational AI agent, Shopping Assistant, guides users through the shopping journey while understanding context, remembering their needs and helping them find the right products, per the release.
“Built into several TikTok touchpoints, Shopping Assistant provides real-time AI-powered shopping guidance like product details, shipping, sizing, availability and purchasing all within one conversation,” TikTok said in the release.
In a Monday product announcement blog post, TikTok said that these agentic commerce tools are meant to keep shoppers engaged from interest to purchase.
A shopper’s interest may fade if they have to search for product details on their own or encounter too much friction at checkout, according to the post.
“Shopping Assistant and Buy Direct are two agentic solutions that help close these gaps by bringing AI-powered assistance closer to the moments of discovery and purchase, enabling shoppers to ask questions directly in the ad environment, get the details they need and easily complete the purchase when their intent is high,” TikTok said in the post.
These agentic solutions are currently available to advertisers through eligibility-based testing opportunities, according to the post.
Buy Direct is enabled by integration with the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), per the post.
The Wall Street Journal reported in April that TikTok Shop could increase its share of overall retail sales from 1% today to 10% in 2028.
The report cited data from Marshal Cohen , chief retail adviser at market research firm Circana , who said: “The consumer clearly has adopted TikTok as one of the few spaces of discovery and brand association.”
PYMNTS reported in May that TikTok launched its TikTok Ads Model Context Protocol (MCP), a system that connects AI agents directly to TikTok’s ad platform so they can plan, launch and optimize campaigns without human intervention.
The post TikTok Kicks Off Agentic Commerce Push With AI Shopping Assistant appeared first on PYMNTS.com .